A volunteer working at the city’s animal shelter was bitten in the face last week when she entered a kennel where an aggressive dog was kept, officials said Tuesday.

“She received numerous stitches” at a hospital, said Diane Covey, a spokeswoman for the Fort Worth Code Compliance Department. “Our superintendent has been in touch with her. He said she is doing better.”

The dog, described as a shepherd mix, was euthanized, Covey said.

The woman was bitten Friday at the Chuck Silcox Animal Care and Control Center, 4900 Martin St.

She is a member of the organization Urgent Animals at Fort Worth Animal Care and Control. The group posts photos and information on its Facebook page about animals at the shelter.

“It has become such an important resource for us because it helps us avoid euthanizing animals,” Covey said. “This lady was one of the folks who help us do that.”

The dog was in a kennel with a sign posted warning that the dog was aggressive, Covey said. The woman was attacked when she entered the kennel.

“The volunteer knew this dog from previous visits and felt that she had developed a bond with the animal and had minimized its aggressiveness,” Covey said. “Unfortunately that was not the case.”

Covey said such attacks are rare but still concern city officials.

“Staff will be reminding citizen partners, volunteers and others that visit the nonadoption areas of the shelter to stay away from kennels with aggressive animals,” Covey said. “The city does not keep aggressive animals in adoption areas or at adoption centers.”